《建筑与都市.世外桃源——住宅的理想与实验性》集中探讨那些人们用于度过闲暇假日的居住场所。书中收录项目丰富多样，有的深藏于林木丰茂的自然环境，例如自然保护区或历史景观区；有的坐落在人口稠密的都市环境，四周高楼林立，文化设施密布。
书中还收录了尤哈尼·帕拉斯马的论文《居住的隐喻》和英伦才子阿兰·德波顿的《生活建筑的哲学》，探讨建筑师们如何将住宅的理想意象与实验性方案进行统一和整合，从而营造出一个世外桃源。This edition of a+u is focused on retreats, in particular the places where people spend their free time. The locations of featured works range from abundant natural environment, such as nature reserve and ancient landscape, to dense urban environment lined with houses and cultural facilities.
In retreats – a place of seclusion for people to spend time away from their everyday lives – functional necessity is not the priority. Retreats portray the essential lifestyle that the residents desire and, from there, an image of house that would reflect the everyday is created.
There'er also an essay - Juhani Pallasmaa's The Lived Metaphor and a project report - Alain de Botton's The Philosophy of Living Architecture, exploring how are the ideal image of house and architect’s experimental concept unified and conceived as a retreat?